Misunderstandings
by Steflenaadamsfoster
Summary: Marianna worries that her moms might be having relationship problems.


Thanks goes out to my Beta dino-dog 83 for editing the story for me any errors are mine

Misunderstandings

Marianna felt so alone there was no Lexi for her to hang out with and talk to and Kelsey had stolen all of their mutual friends. Her brothers had their own lives; Jesus had wrestling, Jude was too young for her to hang with and she really didn't want to hang with Brandon. Callie was doing photography to keep Sanchez and Mama happy so she figured she would have lunch with her Mama. As she headed into Mama's office she stopped and checked with Mama's assistant Carrie.

"Hi Carrie is it okay if I go in, I was hoping to have lunch with my Mom." Said a smiling Marianna.

"Oh sweetie you can go in but your Mom is out to lunch today." Carrie replied back to Marianna.

"Oh, she didn't say anything about leaving campus was it an emergency?" Marianna asked slightly confused, she did not remember hearing Mama saying she would be out today nor did she send her a text.

"No sweetie your Mom has been having lunch off campus for a couple of weeks now, but I can tell her you stopped by when she gets back."

"No that is okay but thank you, see you later Carrie." Mari said as she turned with a puzzled look on her face heading out of the office.

The rest of the afternoon pasted in a daze for Marianna she kept wondering where Mama was spending her lunch time. She never mentioned being away from school and Mari was not sure if she could asked her siblings if any of them would know either or if maybe she was just over thinking it. After all, everything was fine and she had not noticed anything different at home. Although to be honest her attention had been focused on the play and Chase so even if something was going on she probably would not have noticed. She did not know why but the fact that Mama was having lunch away from school was bothering her. She wasn't angry or upset it was just unusual; since she knew Mama never left during school hours and the fact she had been doing it for weeks made Marianna want to find out what was going on. She would ask the others selectively not letting them know she was worried but to feel it out and see if they had noticed as well.

Although, the more she thought about it, it would explain them having to walk home more or Brandon having to give them a ride since Mama had been working later. Mari wondered if the day's Mama worked late were the same day's Mama had lunch off campus? When Marianna got home she went up to her room and started on her homework. When she was finished she went to talk to Jude since he was the only other person home.

"Hey Jude how was school today?" Mari asked him after knocking on his bedroom door and him shouting enter.

"It was fine you know, it was school. What's up?" Jude replied.

"I was wondering did Mama say anything about leaving school for lunch today. I wanted to ask her a question and Carrie said she was out, I know I don't pay much attention so..." Mari asked vaguely.

"Uh no she didn't mention anything to me but I know when I was looking for her last week she was out to." Jude said shrugging his shoulders.

"Ok thanks. Just making sure I wasn't tuning out to much." Marianna laughed as she turned and left the boy's room.

As Marianna was leaving Jude's room she bumped into Mom unbuttoning her uniform shirt on the way to her room, "Hey love how was your first day back to school after suspension?"

"Hey Mom. It was boring I have no friends, I don't know why I have so many siblings since they were all busy so I had to eat lunch alone, not even Mama was available for me to eat lunch with." Mari said with a whine in her tone.

Stef just chuckled and said; "Well we both know you won't be getting suspended again, yes?" Then she placed a kiss on Mari's forehead and gave her a hug before continuing on to her room.

Marianna watched Mom go into her bedroom, Mom had not even paused to ask why Mama was not available at lunch, so either she knew already or obviously it was not important enough to ask about. Although Mari had not said Mama left campus but, then again if Mom was fine then she would stop worrying about it because it seemed as if everything was fine. Marianna turned and went back to her room to browse on the internet until dinner time.

It was two weeks since Marianna had found out Mama was leaving campus in her lunch break and honestly she had not really thought much about it until four days ago. It was after school and Mari was getting a ride home with Mama. Mama had left her office to go and speak to Sanchez and had left Marianna in her office. Marianna had been waiting about fifteen minutes and for the last five she had to listen to text messages pinging on Mama's phone. Marianna went to Mama's desk and picked up her cellphone in case it was Mom or one of the other kids having an emergency. Since she had already counted eight notifications, it was a real possibility. It was an innocent jester she was checking to see if there was an emergency but instead she wished she had never touched Mama's phone to see who was texting.

Marianna did not know how to process the messages she saw. They were from a number she did not know and the name read lady67. After her initial shock Marianna checked her Mama's other messages and her phone log. And there it was plain as day, Mama had exchanged over twenty texts a day with this woman as well as dozens of phone calls daily. As she stood there in shock another message came in confirming their lunch plans for Thursday at the Embassy Suites. She felt light headed. Was Mama cheating on Mom? The texts and phone calls seemed to prove it. Marianna quickly replaced the phone where she found it on the desk and decided she had to leave Mama's office. This was a lot to process and she had no one to talk to about it. As she was heading out the door she met Mama on her way back.

"Sweetie where are you off too? I will be ready in twenty minutes." Lena said smiling at Mari.

"That's ok Mama I think I will walk after all or maybe see if Brandon has left as yet." Mari said trying her hardest not to cry or to let Lena see how upset she was.

"Sweetie are you sure, you don't look to well? I can try for ten minutes instead of twenty if you really need to leave now." Lena said sounding concerned. She had noticed that Marianna was looking a little distraught.

"No, I am sure I will see you at home." Marianna said swiftly as she practically ran out of the office. Not knowing what to do so she ran onto the beach and fell apart by one of the palm trees. She could not believe Mama was having an affair. No her parents' marriage was solid they loved each other so there had to be another explanation. Marianna got up off the ground and headed back to the school and straight for the bathroom to wash her face. She had to figure out what was going on. She knew what she read and if it was anyone else she would have believed it but this was her Mama and she could not, no, she would not believe what the texts and phone calls suggested.

Marianna left the washroom with a plan in mind – she was going to go the hotel on Friday to see who Mama was really meeting. With her plan set in her mind Marianna left school and headed for home. As usual everything appeared to be fine between her moms. Stef gave Lena a kiss when she came in, then they set about cooking dinner for everyone. Over dinner everyone talked about their day and about their plans for the weekend of course Marianna was the only kid who had no plans. Mama, of course, had checked on her to find out if she was feeling better than she had when she left her office a few hours ago.

Marianna was anxious; she had left school to spy on her Mama. It was easy to leave school since Mama was away herself and luckily for her one of the seniors, Mark was leaving school for an appointment, so he gave her a ride to the Embassy Suites. She didn't want any of the employees or her Mama to see her and question her so she did what she saw in the movies and television shows and went into the lounge and sat on one of the chairs in the corner where she still had a clear view of the entrance way and the elevators. She was nervous and was praying that her suspicions were wrong. It was something she just did not want to believe. As Marianna sat in the chair staring at the entrance she was debating with herself whether to stay or leave. She had been there ten minutes already and she had not seen Mama and she didn't know how much longer she should wait. As she was trying to decide if she should leave she looked up and in walked her Mama with a big smile on her face. To be honest Marianna did not know the last time she had seen her Mama smiling like that. She slumped down in her chair incase Mama looked in her direction, although it would have been difficult for Mama to see her with the palm tree sitting in front of her blocking the view.

Marianna watched Mama go up to the front desk and talk to the receptionist. She was too far away to hear what Mama said but the guy was checking the computer and whatever he was looking for he found because the in the next instance he was handing Mama a key which looked like it belonged to one of the rooms in the hotel. As Marianna watch Mama move from the front to the row of elevators as a tall brunette came up to Mama and both leaned in for a hug and exchanged quick kisses on the check leaving them standing there with smiles on their faces. Together they stepped in to the elevator with their arms interlocked, talking and laughing. Mama seemed as engrossed in the woman as the brunette was with her when the elevator doors closed Marianna saw Mama lean into the brunette and then the doors closed. That was the moment that Marianna's whole world started crashing around her.

She felt breathless and she was finding it hard to think, to really process what she had just seen. Her Mama was at a hotel with another woman, they were going upstairs in the elevator together and that only meant one thing. What was she going to do with the information she knew? Who could she talk to about all of this? She was beginning to wish that she had never seen Mama and the brunette or even the texts that caused her to follow Mama here in the first place. What did this mean? Were her Moms going to get a divorce or was this just a phase for Mama? What will happen to them the five of them, would they have to decide would to live with? For a brief second she wondered if they would give them back to their birth parents, but her moms had sat her down a few weeks after the shooting and they had talked it out. They had reassured her that no matter what she did, or any of the kids for that matter, that her and Mom would always be there for her and the other kids and none of them were never going back into the system . Marianna got up from the chair she was sitting in and started walking back to school. There was no way she could skip the rest of the day, not with Mama being the vice principal, her teachers would ask Mama about her absence for sure.

As Marianna walked back to school her mind swirled with everything she knew and saw but honestly she was so lost because she could not understand it. She thought her moms were happy and she did not think that she was so self-involved that she could have missed any problems that would have led Mama to this. Yes she knew they were dealing with the whole Callie running away thing and then Brandon saying they were in love. There was also Jude and Callie's pending adoption. Yes she had felt they were slightly off their game but nothing so big that Mama would need to, to, ugh she just could not think about it. Her mind had so many scenarios going on that she could not finish any of her thoughts. Oh god would she tell Mom what she saw and about the texts she'd read or should she confront Mama. But then if she confronted Mama and Mama lied, what could she say; I saw the texts and I followed you to the hotel? Marianna reached the school and still had no idea of what she would do. She spent her last three classes spaced out and not paying attention. She was wondering who she could talk because right now her family was falling apart and it seemed she was the first to know.

Mama had told them they would be walking home today since she would be staying late at school. As Marianna was about to leave she saw Brandon and decided to ask him about when Mom and Mike separated, if he could even remember how it was before Mike left. Marianna shouted for Brandon as she walked towards him, "Hey could I ask you a question?"

"Sure what's up? Are you in trouble again?" Brandon said smiling at her.

"No I just….Look I know it was years ago but do you remember how Mom and Mike were before they told you they were separating?" she asked him nervously.

He gave her a puzzled look and then said, "Wow, that was nearly eleven years ago and I was five."

"Yeah I know but when Jesus and I asked you how moms got together you always told us, so I figured if you remember that then you should remember this." Marianna said seriously.

"Well, um yeah. Okay they use to fight a lot and Dad would leave the house mid-way through an argument slamming the door and Mom would cry after he left. Why do you want to know anyways, is something going on?" Brandon asked her.

She thought about telling him, since she was despite to talk it over with someone, but in the end she decided not to so instead she lied. " Lexi was telling me she wasn't sure about her parents since they left, she was wondering what the signs were, you know."

"Marianna it is different for every couple. Tell her not to worry for now they could just be adjusting, it doesn't mean divorce. With Mom and my dad it was more than that." He said trying to reassure her.

"Yeah well I have to get going thanks, I'll see you around," she gave him a slight smile and started to leave. She had more to think about – she knew Moms weren't fighting, that she would have definitely remembered. Although, to be honest her Moms rarely fought where they could see or hear, but if they were fighting behind closed doors then there would be strange vibe in the house. And she had not picked up on anything like that so that is why this was such a shock.

As Marianna walked home she zoned out everything else that was going on around her. She was so focused on trying to figure out who she could talk to about all of this. Normally she would have gone to Jesus but he was so distracted lately and she knew he would not take her seriously. She could tell Lexi but she didn't think she would get it either. She thought of Callie but then she dismissed the thought because Callie would probably start blaming herself and she might run away again and Mari just did not need that to deal with that on top of everything else. By the time she got home she was no closer to figuring out what she was going to do and when she got in the house she decided to go up to her room to try to start her homework. She had been home for a while before Callie came upstairs to their room and Marianna for her part of course she had not been able to get any homework done. Everything just kept replaying in her head and then she tried to remember everything she saw and heard between her moms over the last while to see if she could pin point something that was wrong. She was so lost in her thoughts she didn't even hear Callie when she come into the room.

"Hey what's up? I didn't see you earlier at lunch?" Callie turned to look at Marianna when she didn't get an answer right away. When she turned she saw that Marianna had been crying. She walked over to Mari's bed, sat down and started to rub her shoulder. Callie was concerned, "Marianna what's the matter, did something happen?"

Marianna looked at Callie a puzzled expression showing through her tears. "Huh? What do you mean what's wrong? Why would you ask me that?"

"Um because you are lying on your bed crying. Do you want to talk about it?" Callie asked softly.

Marianna put her hands up to her face and when she pulled her fingers away they were wet, she had not realize she had been crying which caused her to start crying more. She turned over in her bed and dropped her face into her pillow crying harder now that the tears were running freely. Callie was worried she tried again to get her to talk but she wouldn't. And every time she tried to talk to her Marianna would cry even harder. So Callie did the only thing she could, she just stayed sitting next to her on the bed rubbing her back. As Marianna crying became softer Stef appeared in their doorway. She had just gotten home and was to checking on the kids. She had heard the crying when she reached the top of the landing and had come to investigate. When she saw Callie rubbing Marianna's back she gave Callie a concerned look with a tilt to her head before asking; "Hey what is going on? Why is Miss Thing crying?"

"I don't know. When I came in she had tears running down her face and then when I asked her about it she turned over and started crying harder. She won't tell me what's wrong." Callie said with worry in her voice.

"It's okay Sweets, I will talk to her and find out what is wrong. Could you give us the room for a bit?" Stef said to Callie with a worried tone.

"Sure, I'll do my homework downstairs." Callie said as she gathered her stuff and left the room pulling in the door shut as she went.

"What's wrong Love? Who has been making you cry, is it someone at school?" Stef asked Marianna. Stef was very worried and she didn't like to see any of her kids hurt and not knowing what was going on with Marianna was worrying her.

Instead of answering Marianna turned and flung herself at her Mom wrapping her arms around her neck and crying even harder than when Mom had first came into the room. Mom rubbed her back and Marianna seemed to calm down. Mom was whispering to her that everything would be all right and that she just had to talk to her. When Marianna stopped crying she leaned back a little from her mom and looked at her with sad eyes, she didn't know what to say. Mom wanted to know what was wrong, and Marianna knew that she would not get away without telling her. So she took a deep breath and opened her mouth but nothing came out. As she continued to stare at her mom not knowing where to start or what to say so she decided to ease into what was bothering her. "Um, have you and Mama been having problems lately? I know I don't usually pay close attention but have you been fighting?" she asked worriedly.

"Sweetie, Mama and I are fine. What made you ask? Is that what is making you cry because, Miss Thing, there is nothing to worry about." Mom said with a slight smile on her face, wondering why Marianna would even think there was something wrong.

"Are you sure that you are okay or that Mama is happy because you know sometimes people hide how they truly feel when something is wrong." Marianna said sadly.

"Honey I can assure you that Mama and I are great. We have had a few distractions lately and we're not as focused on us as we usually are, but that doesn't mean anything thing is wrong. What brought this on, your worrying about Mama and me?" Mom said curiously, she could not understand what would have caused Marianna to be worried about her and Lena. True for a while they had not been themselves and there had been a lack of communication, but they had worked that out and she didn't think there was anything in their behaviors that would cause the kids to worry.

Marianna started to cry again and Stef thought that she had reassured her so she confused as to what she could have said that would cause Marianna to start crying again. For Marianna she really did not know what to say now. If Mom thought everything was great with her relationship then Mom did not know anything about what Mama was up to. She loved her moms so much that she did not know how to tell Mom what she knew, her thoughts causing her to cry harder. Mom was really worried now she needed to calm Marianna down so that she could find out what was going on. This was so unlike Marianna and Mom could not recall any incidents happening that would cause her daughter so much distress. Mom continued to hold and comfort Marianna as she tried to get her to talk about whatever it was going on. She would not be leaving Marianna's room until she got to the bottom of it. As her tears slowed Marianna began to talk quietly and with a few hiccups. She began to tell Mom about what was happening. "A few weeks ago I went to have lunch with Mama since I did not have anyone else to eat with. But Mama was out to lunch and Carrie said she had gone out a couple of days a week. It was weird because she never told us about being away from campus. And she never mentioned it at home whenever you ask her how her day was."

Mom was a little surprised when Marianna began to speak. She initially thought someone had hurt Mari but she was starting to realize Mari was upset and it had something to do with Lena. It was definitely not what she was expecting but at least Marianna was talking. Marianna was about to tell Mom everything when Mama knocked on the door and then came into the room. When Marianna saw her she began crying again. Stef and Lena exchanged looks and Lena decided to leave but Stef stopped her "No don't leave this is about you. Maybe after she calms down again she can tell you why she is so upset. Honey I am going to let you talk to Mama about this ." As Stef got up to leave so Marianna and Lena could talk Lena stopped her "Stef stay maybe she would be comfortable with the both of us plus I am still going to tell you after she tells me so let's do this one time."

Marianna was relieved that Mom was staying but she still did not really want to have this conversation. Especially since she did not know what the outcome would be, but she could only imagine it not to be good. She took a deep breath trying to calm herself so she could say what she had to say, not looking at her Moms Marianna began to tell them what she had discovered about Mama not being at school during her lunch for some weeks to the texts and finally to her trip to the hotel. After she was finished she still would not look at her moms while she was waiting on their reaction.

As Mari waited for a response, it felt as if hours had passed but in reality it was only took a few seconds before Mom started laughing. This was definitely not the reaction she was expecting after telling her Mom that her wife was cheating on her. When she glanced at Mama, she saw a smile on her face her too. Her moms were freaking her out and this was totally not the reaction she had expected. Mom tried to stop laughing remembering the puzzled expression on Marianna's face but she just could not help it. Mama was smiling, and holding in laughter as she shushed Stef so that she could explain the situation to their daughter.

"Marianna I am not cheating on Mom. Even thought everything you have found out is true, you didn't have the context to go with it."

Mama took Marianna's hand and looked her in the eye as she said with a serious tone; "I would never cheat on your Mom. I love her no matter what we go through and any difficulties we might have we will eventually solve."

"You always said you cannot predict the future how do you know you won't? And if you weren't cheating who were the texts from? And who is the brunette I say you with at the hotel, because you looked really cozy?" Marianna said skeptically.

Lena glanced at Stef who gave her a slight nod, "The brunette you saw me with at the hotel is our therapist. I know I always tell you kids that you cannot predict the future. But I know I will never cheat on Mom because when I was cheated on it was the worst feeling in the world. Plus it causes a break down in trust and if you don't have trust in a relationship then it is not worth it."

"But Mom cheated on Mike with you so….. I mean isn't that the same thing?" Marianna asked confused.

Stef decided to answer this one. "Honey I didn't cheat on Mike. When I met your Mama, Mike and I had been separated for six months."

"Yes your divorce was not final for another six months after that. Brandon said you were dating shortly after you met, so how is that not cheating?" Marianna said looking at her moms. She saw Stef turn and look at Lena then turn back to her.

"Sweetie as parents we decide what is important for you to know about grownup situations and at the time it was easier to let Brandon think that than to really explain everything that was going on." Stef paused looked at Lena again. Marianna saw Lena give Stef a slight nod before they both turned to look at her again.

"Mama and I were friends who spent time together. As it turned out we were dating before we even put that label to what we were doing. Over the years it has just been easier to let the version of the story you know be the truth. It was simpler and since none of you actually asked us we decided not to say anything. But I think you are old enough now to hear part of what really happened." Stef said with a slight smile on her face.

"Mama and I started dating the day of my divorce. Before that, for those six months, we only spent time together as friends. We go to know each other better and we talked about building a life together, there was no intimacy between us just hugs and kisses on the cheeks." Stef smiled.

"Your Mama would not officially date me until my divorce was granted, so Mama and I didn't sleep together until the day of the divorce so honestly there was no cheating." Stef smirked.

"Stef why would you tell her that part, did you forget you were talking to our daughter? That is too much information for her." Lena said smacking Stef on the arm.

"Mama's right that really is too much information even for me." Marianna said grinning at her moms. She was starting to feel better now.

"No, too much information is telling you that I wanted to sleep with Mama the moment I told her I was a lesbian. But Mama made me wait six months before we got to do the deed, which is why we missed our dinner reservations." Stef said laughing hard.

"Stefanie Foster! Shut up, Marianna did not need to know that." Lena said with a fake angry look on her face.

"Mommmm….. uhhh now that is something I didn't ever need to know. Ok but I still don't understand the texts because they are not from Mom's number." Mari said slightly puzzled.

"Oh that was Mom. She was using her phone but she hid her number it was a suggestion from our therapist. And just so you know Honey Mom was in the elevator today when I got in, that is why I was leaning so close to Dr. Davis, I was telling Mom something." Lena explained to Marianna.

"So both of you are okay and there is nothing to worry about? No separation, no divorce and no affairs?" Marianna confirmed. She knew they would not lie to her but she just needed a little more reassurance.

"No Love Mama is stuck with me forever no matter what. Mama and I always work things out, we love each other and you and your brothers and your soon to be brother and sister very much." Stef said .


End file.
